37 weeks

How far along:  37 weeks
How big is baby: Wintermelon 7lbs 9oz, 20 inches.  She is full term! The doctors will not stop my labor if it begins now : ) Maternity clothes:  mainly dresses and skirts...so much more comfy
Sleep: Same as last week, still waking up quite a bit
Food cravings: unhealthy foods..eek

I loved the irony of my Fit Girls' shirt that barely fits over my big belly.  Not feeling so fit lately : )

 Symptoms:Some braxton hicks, swelling in my hands and feet (I think that may be primarily due to the humidity..) overall still feeling good considering the size of my belly.  Walking on the days that I can

Movement: Loving it still! What a comfort
Gender:  Girl
What I’m looking forward to: I am just so excited to see her little face!

What I'm reading: I haven't really read much of anything this week, but   Dr. Sear's Baby book is out to be read

What I miss:  Laying on my stomach
Best part of the week: Getting to see Sadie and feeling her move around! 

DIY Ottoman

So you may remember when I showed pictures of Sadie's room, I mentioned an ottoman that we had made.
It all started with this white storage cube.  As we were cleaning out the closet I came across it and didn't really have a purpose for it, but didn't want to trash it. 

You may also remember this headboard.  I made it to fit our queen size bed.  Well once we replaced our queen size with a king, the headboard was no longer functioning.  I took it apart and use the muslin material and foam padding.  I attached the foam to the sides of the cube using hot glue.  I also had Cody cut a square out of the wood from the headboard and attached foam to it as well.

Once the foam had been glued down, I used the muslin material to the outside of the foam to smooth it out and used a staple gun to attach it.  I did the same to the square of wood (that would become the top).

I used the white and grey zig zag from Carousel designs to cover the muslin material (with the cube open side down).  Attaching the fabric was a two person job..one person hold and fold, the other person staples).  Don't let the fabric go too far in..leave some of the wood showing.  We attached the top to the cube using liquid nails. 

36 weeks

Ohhh we are getting close! : )

How far along:  36 weeks
How big is baby: Honeydew..Miss Sadie gained a full pound this week! She weighs 7lb 4 oz!  So glad she is growing and healthy.  Hoping however that each week does not bring another full pound...
Maternity clothes:  dresses, skirts and yoga pants are the most comfy...I also have some skinny jeans from Loft with a full panel that are so soft.  Early in the pregnancy they were too baggy, so they have been worn as much, but right now, they're the only jeans I'm comfortable in.
Sleep: Not great...waking up lots, waking up early, but I am somehow still trucking through each day.  I guess I am learning to run on less sleep : )
Food cravings: chocolate, cheese its

 Symptoms:Some braxton hicks, random back pain, overall still feeling good considering the size of my belly : ) I've given up on running at all until after Sadie's arrival, but am still trying to walk most days and that seems to make me feel more energetic

Movement: Still just a moving.  That's the most comforting feeling!
Gender:  Girl
What I’m looking forward to: Being a mom...SO excited to finally get to see her little face and hold her in my arms.  Just a few more weeks!

What I'm reading: I haven't really read much of anything this week, but   Dr. Sear's Baby book

What I miss:  Laying on my stomach
Best part of the week: Getting to see Sadie and feeling her move around!  A little more organizing in her room and the car seat base is in my car. 
A random man at the grocery store telling me I looked like I was about to pop! Haha..

Lately

I have been spending a lot of time working on completing all of my grad school work...the race on against Sadie's arrival is on and luckily, I am almost finished minus a few little things.

Last Friday all three of my sweet classes surprised me.  They had been planning for a few weeks to have a baby shower during lunch time.  I got to each lunch with all of them.  They went in together and got Sadie's high chair, humidifier and a basket of other goodies.  They also made precious cards that were bound together in a book.  And oh my goodness they were so proud that they had kept the secret and so excited to celebrate.  Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE second grade? Sweet sweet kiddos!

A very thoughtful mother brought us Jason's Deli (if you are a school teacher you have barely 30 minutes for lunch and your options are bring from home or buy from the cafeteria...any time anyone brings in food, it is an amazing thing) and cupcakes from RJ Goodies (yum)!

 I can't share any pictures of the kids, but instead look at this precious diaper cake that one of the moms made!

Have I mentioned lately how much we love pizza?  We got a green egg smoker a while back.  It literally looks like a big green ceramic egg.

 Cody has smoked some traditional things on it and they were wonderful.  This week we decided to try pizza and it was wonderful!

 

Aggie Ring Day

After two years of hard work, I will (hopefully) be graduating in just a few weeks with my Masters in Public School Administration from Texas A&M.  At A&M, the Aggie ring is a big deal and I got to pick mine up this past Friday.  Baylor friends, avert your eyes....but Baylor rings just aren't a big deal.  And getting my ring made my husband's heart so happy.  Cody, Meagan and I headed up to College Station after work on Friday.
Cody got to give me my ring.

I got to see a few of my friends from my grad school cohort too!

 

We got to eat and hang out for a while in College Station before heading back home. 

To continue the celebration, my parents sent a beautiful bouquet of half maroon and half white flowers to school yesterday!
 I'm so excited to complete this chapter of my life, hopefully before Sadie makes her debut.  Thanks and Gig 'em! : )

Maternity Clothes

Since I have been wearing them for a while now, I thought I would share my favorite maternity clothes purchases :
Old Navy 
Skinny pants with a demi panel..the full panel is just too itchy for my stomach.
I have teal cords,

 

black skinny pants and pink skinny pants.  I've liked the demi panel pants from there.  Of course they don't have the exact ones any more since mine were purchased during the winter months and we are entering the summer months, but these white ones look close or maybe it is these Pop-Color Rockstar Jeggings

I have these tanks in black and white and they go under almost everything

Maternity Chevron-Striped Maxi Skirt, which I have every intention of wearing after Sadie is born too..this skirt is soo comfortable

 And these low-rise leggings b/c eventually your own leggings will start cutting in too much..these are much more giving

I have dresses I love from Gap, Target and Ann Taylor Loft, but none of them are available anymore..they have some super cute new ones though!

GAP
They have my favorite jeans: the Demi Panel Always Skinny. They are kind of pricey, but I just waited for them to go on sale.

Target
I always check the maternity clearance section when I go to Target.  I have found some great maternity/nursing tops and dresses that I feel are well worth the money as they serve for now and will also work after Sadie is born.  Like this cami

I love the side ruched T-shirts in short sleeve and long-sleeve too.  You feel frumpy enough as your belly grows, I've found that generally fitted tops makes me feel a bit more fashionable and stick the bump out as its own fashion statement  : ) I have more of these from Target than anywhere, but also some from GAP and Old Navy...soft and comfortable is the priority : )

Motherhood Maternity

The secret belly fit jeans are great, but sometimes the full belly panel makes my stomach itchy

Beyond these, some tops/dresses and some khakis/black pants for school, I was blessed by a sweet friend who shared her maternity clothes! I have been able to wear quite a few of my normal clothes up until now and have used my normal cardigans and blazers to my outfits..I just can't close them and have relied on jewelry to make the same basic pieces look a little different : ) I've worn my same running clothes, they're just a bit snugger and for at home, maternity yoga pants..they're amazing!  What have you found to be the best maternity clothes?

35 weeks

How far along:  35 weeks
How big is baby: Coconut, Sadie is 6lb 4 oz...she is still a little ahead size wise, but not quite a week anymore
Maternity clothes:  Some of these are even getting a little uncomfortable..
Sleep: Sleeping fairly well
Food cravings: chocolate, CFA, pizza

 Symptoms: Just tired, needing a lot more water I think I may not have had enough earlier in the week, slight swelling on warmer days, maybe some Braxton Hicks

Movement: Still on a fairly good schedule.  She moves the most after I eat.  Although in every ultrasound her hands are covering her face, I feel her hands and feet moving quite a bit
Gender:  Girl
What I’m looking forward to: Weekly ultrasounds until she is born, my bag is packed, now I just need to finish grad school, get my car and house cleaned

What I'm reading:   Dr. Sear's Baby book

What I miss:  Laying on my stomach
Best part of the week: Getting to see Sadie and feeling her move around!

Out of Control

I am a classic Type A personality, shocking I know.  I like to plan out my life.  I like to be in control of what is going on.  However, lately I am being taught that I am not in control.

Let's take Easter Sunday for instance.  I am a Southern Baptist.  Other Sundays, I may go to church with my hair kind of messy or missing make up or jewelry.  Easter Sunday however is not a day for that to occur. 
On this Easter Sunday there was a big thunderstorm as we were getting ready, I was half way through blow drying my hair when the power went out.  This meant that I was already going to church with frizz ball hair and there was nothing I could do about it.  No big deal, I just pulled it back and moved on.  We went to leave for church and the gate (we were staying out at the barn) wouldn't open...  A little bigger deal seeing as how we knew no other way to get our car out.  Well, there was a cow pasture we could get to and drive through, so we did and were a little late to church.  This was not quite what I had planned, but isn't that the case. 
None of these "challenges" stopped us from getting to church, so maybe my plans need to be blown every once in a while.  I think that was the biggest lesson I learned last Sunday.  We celebrated Christ.  We celebrated God sacrificing His only son to come to earth and die for our sins, but what I think I needed to learn last week was that He is the one in control.  I am not and that's a good thing.  His plans are far and beyond better than mine could ever be.

I was taught this even more this week through my doctors appointments for Sadie.  She is so healthy and doing so well, but since I am high-risk, I am moving to more appointments to keep a closer eye on her.  This is not what I had planned, but am so thankful that the doctors are available and being so cautious. 
I know as we enter this next season of our life that Sadie will not be on my Type A schedule and that's okay.  I am so thankful for the lessons that are causing me to slow down, stop planning so much and enjoy the days for what they are as we prepare to welcome our little one into the world.

Here's a song that was laid on my heart this week

Hillsong United - From The Inside Out Lyrics

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in Your grace

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out

My soul cries out to You
My soul cries out to You
To You, to You

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out

Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out

From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out
From the inside out
Lord, my soul cries out

34 Weeks

How far along:  34 weeks
How big is baby: Butternut Squash...Sadie is actually measuring at 35 weeks and is 5.15 pounds, 17 inches
Maternity clothes:  Mostly, they are just way more comfortable and dresses are winning out over pants right now too for comfort.
Sleep: Sleeping fairly well, I just feel like I could continue sleeping a lot longer than I am able to each morning : )
Food cravings: chocolate, CFA, Thursday I was really wanting Pirates Booty but couldn't find it in the grocery store..still on the hunt for it

 Symptoms: Tiring out more easily, irritability (not all the time..most of the time I am in a really good mood.  It could just come from being more emotional, dang hormones.), blood sugars have been much better this week

Movement: I feel like she's getting into a sleep pattern.  She's awake a lot of the time that I am and wakes up a little before I would choose to most mornings, but that's okay.  I still just love feeling her move! She is head down though, so I'm getting some tiny feet in my ribs : )
Gender:  Girl
What I’m looking forward to: Weekly ultrasounds until she is born, packing hospital bags..getting ready for her arrival!

What I'm reading:  I decided on Dr. Sear's Baby book

What I miss:  Laying on my stomach
Best part of the week: Getting to see Sadie and feeling her move around!
Best comment from a student this week:
A first grader who I guess I had not seen in a while came up to me and said,
"Woa, Mrs. Sage, why is your stomach so big?!"
I responded, "why do you think my stomach is so big?"
Student said "Are you having a baby? What kind?"
I said, "A girl."  She left the conversation at that and then a few second later I hear her say while looking at my belly, "Its gonna explode!"
They are so funny! My own students, all 65, have been so sweet and so interested in everything.  They tell Sadie "hi" each day and are getting so excited about her coming.